SOUTH SHORE INSIDER: Hanover ad agency is a sister act

Twin sisters Christina Babin and Karyn Goba, both of Hanover, share much more than a physical likeness. Their collective, design-inspired mind-set was the creative bond that prompted them to launch ...

By Maureen McCarthy

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

By Maureen McCarthy

Posted Jul. 31, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 31, 2013 at 7:31 PM

By Maureen McCarthy

Posted Jul. 31, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 31, 2013 at 7:31 PM

HANOVER

» Social News

Twin sisters Christina Babin and Karyn Goba, both of Hanover, share much more than a physical likeness.

Their collective, design-inspired mind-set was the creative bond that prompted them to launch Pantano Creative LLC, an advertising and graphic design firm in Hanover, 10 years ago.

Serving as creative directors, brand strategists and production artists for the home-based company, Babin and Goba have an impressive list of past and present clients, including Microsoft Corp., the Boston Red Sox, Camp Harbor View, Adams Fine Jewelry, Partners In Publishing, the Pan-Mass Challenge and more.

Babin’s advertising and graphic design career spans 20 years. Her corporate roots go back to the Boston-based Hill Holliday advertising agency, where she served as senior art director. Goba’s creative talents also span two decades, with the majority of her career spent as a senior graphic designer at Hess Design of Natick.

Though Pantano is a small business, Babin and Goba say they offer “big-agency talent, creativity and diverse experience without the high overhead you’d pay at the larger firms.”

Being twin sisters and business owners, how would you describe your working relationship?

Goba: Working together and being twins is very natural for us. We complement each other with our work experience, and it allows us to cover every aspect of the business, including print, interactive, Web, broadcast, television and video. (Our professional experience) makes it easy for us to offer a wide range of services to our clients.

What are the benefits of working with a smaller advertising agency?

Babin: Being small also allows us to be scaleable. We have very little overhead when working with smaller budgets. However, should the need arise for more services, we have built relationships with a pool of experienced professional writers, programmers and marketing experts that we bring in when needed.

How has Pantano Creative adapted to today's technology advances in advertising?

Babin: We follow the trends, talk to printers, programmers, anyone doing the latest and greatest things. For us, it means keeping up with the latest trends in communication so we can offer these solutions to our clients.

It also means we need to know how to create work that not only works on computer screens but must now work on the growing list of mobile devices as well.

What do you enjoy most about owning an advertising and graphic design agency?

Goba: We love to be able to flex our creative muscles for our clients. One of the best things about this industry is that we become experts in our clients’ businesses. In order to communicate their messages, we need to learn all about them in the process. It’s what makes this an exciting field to be a part of.

Page 2 of 2 - What is the meaning behind your company name?

Babin: Pantano is our maiden name. Advertising and design is in our blood, as our father, Dick Pantano, was the vice chairman/creative director at Hill Holiday for many years. His name is well-known in the industry, so we felt that couldn’t hurt us.